Bore mining apparatus having means to measure the angle between units thereof



y 12, 959 .-w. HEIMASTER Er 2,885,299 1 v Bom MIN APPARATUS HAvTzG :EANo f v ma ANGLE BETWEEN Ts THEREOF 1 Y Filed April 3o, 195s n A f g// .NS/P ,ln

'-f i 7 vccmvavfm' L Y A' f m we" Y ATTORNEY i nous Minnie John W.Hermagor, charlatan, ana Roy LMeNe South Charleston, W. Va., assgnors toUnion Carbide v Corporation, a corporation of New York This-inventionrelatesY to remotely controlled bore mining, .and `more particularly toa novel apparatus for APPARATUS HAVING MEANS 'ro Messiani ren Anneneerwann mrs llnitedStatesPatent f' tween such two units serves tomeasureA the angle bei' by a ball-and-soclcet type hitch, to permitrelative mo tion in all planes between the two units, Without loosenessor lost motion. vThe vhall member s mounted on a Y `vern'calcantilever-ed stud at the front of such conveyor section, while thesocket member is rigidily `attached t i the rear of the machine. 'l0

along a diameter of the ball. A fork on the end of a ver tical shaftengages the Vcylindrical pin, so that any rotabut motion of the hollowcantilevered pin about any .other axis produces no rotation of 4theforked shaft.

plotting of the exact location of a bore mining machine during the holeboring progress thereof.

` Forsuccessul operation of a remotely controlled bore mining machine,it isessential that the horizontal position of the machine with respectto the 'starting point he known at any instant, sol that the'machine maybe guidedV to follow a'desired path.V This is particularly true. of

its location in a horizontal plane, so that adjacent bore holes can'oe'made parallel or equally spaced apart to leave a wall of uniformthickness therebetween.

One way of determining the location of the machine is by triangulation,in which the angular bearing, with` respect to a base line of knownlength,.of sound or radio waves emitted from a point on the machine, ismeasured. This requires a relatively long base line and highly`sensitive and precise devicesy for measuring the angles.` Thecomputations also canV be time consuming.

A variation of such method, in which the length of the H lines fromthe'rnachine to the two pointson the base line is determined, aiso hasbeen considered.l `Since the ma` chinois inaccessible and invisihie,the' time for a specific sound impulse to travel through the earth toeach of two points on the base line could be determined. Such method isimpractical because the average speed of sound through the earth alongtwo vclicrent paths will vary if these paths contain cracks or otherirregularities, such as are known to be present.

Another way for determiningthe location of thermachine is-by plottingits path from the starting point. Ir" the compass bearing of the machineis known at all times, and the distance traveled on cach bearing, suchpath can be plotted. The large ferrous mass of the machine, however-,sodistorts theeartis magnetic fiele.

The forked shaft is mounted in bearings attached to the machine, and'itsrotation is transmitted by an amplifying gear train to the shaft'of apotentiometer. Rotationof the potentiometer shaft causes a slider tomove along va resistance, changing the characteristics of an electricalcircuit which includes a voltmeter at the operators station. i

' i 'While this invention` is best suited for enabling the operator tosteer along a straight path, i.e. the angle between increments beingmaintained at 180, it may also be used to steer along a path of anydesired direction.

vIn the drawing: i

Fig. l is a fragmentary view in horizontal section of i a bore miningoperation illustrating the invention;v

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l;and y Fig. 3 is a fragmentary circuitdiagram of the electrical part ofthe angle-measuring device.

Attached to the rear end of the mining machine M is a hitch 1 to whichis welded a generally horizontal v threaded to the hitch body housing 2having an opening 3 in which is mounted'a socket member 4 composed ofupper and lower sphere parts 5 and 6. vThese parts are secured in placeby a housing cap 7that is secured to the top of thehousingl by capscrews 8. VDisposed withinthe socket member 4 is a ball member 9provided with a tapered hole 1) that is rigidly fitted to acorrespondingly tapered portion il of an upright cantilevered stud 1 2which is welded to the front hitch 13 of a conveyor section C followingthe machine M. v

The ball member 9 is prevented from turning on the stud 12 by a key I4,while axial movement is prevented by aloclenut 1S and washer 1, theformer being upper end portion of the stud. Such stud is provided with avertical recess 17 in the upper -end portion thereof for accommodatingthe lower end portion 18 of a vertical shaftr i9, the upper portion ofthe patlior` the machine which comprisesrdividing the 'ci' precision(i.e., with ancrror of less vthan one minute of arc) and transmit thismeasurementto the` operators station on the surface. Anauxiliaryffdevic'e measures the length of each increment.

' Since` the tnechineand first section of conveyor irr.-

ot length ofthe hole, and the first conveyor section-the ment. Thus,measuring the angle begear 2 4 which meshes with a pinion gear 25 of apo- -Vrnediately following the machineboth tit the hole rather snugly,the machine can be said to occupy an' increment which is mounted forrotational movement in a vertical way 20 in the top of tho housing' 7,ball bearings 21 being provided therebetween. The lower end portion 18of the shaft 19 is forked. The tines 22 of the fork bear on oppositesides of a horizontal pin 23 mounted on the stud l2 in the recess 17near the bottom thereof. Secured to the upper end of the shaft i9 is ahorizontal tentiometer 26 that is mounted on a bracket 27 that is, inturn, mounted on the top of the housing cap 7.

` The potentiometer shaft can be turned through an indefinite number ofrevolutions, since it has no internal stops. kSuch mechanism isprotected from dusaby a cover 28 that is 7 by cap screws 29.

As shown in Fig. 3 the potentiometer 26 comprises a l l l resistor 30,and a movable contacter y31 that is mechani- The cantilevered stud ishol- `v 10W, and a Cylindrical pin is mounted therein horizontally coaland other I secured to the, housing cap n cally connected to vthe piniongear Tneresistor .39

is energized by a suitable source 32 of current at constant potential,such as abattery, through' conductors 33 and 34. `The angular positionof the contacter 3l is indicat'ed by voltmeter 35 that is alsoelectrically connected assenso 3. A device comprising a planes ofrotation at right angles to one another while to the conductors 33 and34 through a resistor 35, and

`to` the contactor 31 by a medial conductor-37. The

voltmeter 35 is preferably located in the control station .v

38 of the mining system, which y'statirm usually refv v to the otherbody, said socket member having-a socketv d l l, containing said ball,acap mounted on said socket mem# v 1 is transmitted to the shaftlSl'which operates the po tentiometercontacror 3l through gears Y24 and25, and such angular displacement is transmitted through the ciecnicalcircuitof Fig. 3 to the .voltmeter 35 which indicates the direction anddegree of such angle. Y Y

By reference to such voltmeter 35 which is located iu the kcontrollstation of the mining system, the course or the machine' is plotted andthe operator steers the 'machine by remote control to bore each adjacenthole, to

that the intervening wall is of substantially uniform widthfrom-beginning to end` The device of the invention comprising thefeature of permitting universal movement between such bodies withf Y t ein a certain range m thatas well as other planes,comprisinga-cantilever-stud fixed toone body, said stud having arecessextending inwardly `from the top of said stud, a ball member mounted on`said studa transverse pin mounted on said stud within said recess sothat the longitudinal axis of said pin coincides with a diameter Y ofthe ball of said ball member, a socket member fixed ber and having abearing above and in line with such recess, a shaft ournaled in saidbearing and; having a forked end engaging said pin, means fortransmitting im pulsescorrespondiug to rotation of said shaft in said vt plane beseeeri'a mining machine and a conveyor sec-y plot a coursecorresponding to the preceding hole, so`

the cylindrical pin havin'g'a longitudinal axis that coin- .machine unitand a first conveyor section unit attached `cides with a' diameter ofthe ball of a ball-and-socret'type f hearing to a receiving station, andmeans at said station y .for kreceiving such impulses and indicatingsuch angle. f

4. Apparatus for indicatingthe anglcrin a horizontal tion coupledthereto, which comprises a ball-and-socket type hitch coupling the frontend of said conveyor section to the rear end of said machine, saidball-and-soclret hitch including a ball member having a vertical recesstherein, a horizontalpin mounted on said ball rnemb'` in said recess,the longitudinal assis of said pin coinciding with `a diameter of saidball member, a vertical shaft journaled for rotation in said socketmember, means `connecting one end of Sad shaft with said pin forfrjedo'm of tilting said shaft on its vertical axis in accordant:

angular displacement in a horizontal. plane only between f to saidmining machine unit, comprisinga ball-and-sockct type hitch permittingrelative motion in all planes between said twounits, without looscaessor lost motion,

the ball member being mounted at the rontof such-o said cylindrical pin,so vthat any rotation o the ball member about its vertical axis causesrotation of the shaft, a fork on the end of said vertical shaftengagingwith any controlled bore mining machine with respect to the hori Azontaldirection of its progress ina bore hole, comprising means coupling thefront of said conveyor sec-tion to the rear of said machine including afront hitch attached to said conveyor section, a verticalstud mounted onsaid hitch, a bl'member mounted on said stud, a rear hitch attachedtosaidy machine, a socket member rigidly atforiied shaft about its axis,but motion of the ball member about any other axis produces no rotationof the ings attached to the socket member, and means for indicating thedegree of angular rotation of said shaft with respect to said socketmember. i

` forked shaft, said forked shaft being mounted in 'oeary 2. A devicecomprising a ball-and-socltet typecouplng y for connecting two vehicularunits, including means for measuring the angle therebetween only in ahorizontal plane while permitting universal movement between-such unitswithin aV certain range in that as well as other planes, comprising acantilever stud xed to one unit, said stud having a recess extendinginwardly from the top of said stud, a ball member mounted on said stud,a transverse pin mounted on said stud within said recess so at thelongitudinal axis of the pin coincides with a diameter of the ball ofsaid ball member, a socket meA ,tiorneter mounted on said cap and'having a pinion gearY generally parallel to said shaft, a gear keyed tosaid shaft and meshing with said pinion gear, means for electricallyenergizing said potentiometer, and a remotely stationed voltmeterelectricallyvconnected to said potentiometer for` i indicating suchangle depending upon the relative rota tion of said shaft with respectto said cap.r l

tached to said rear hitch, said socket and ball members providing aball-and-socket type joint, said stud having a recess inthe top thereof,a horizontal pin mounted on said stud in said recess, the longitudinalaxis of said pin coinciding with `a diameter of said hall, a cap mountedon said rear hitch, said .cap having .a vertical bearing way abovesaidstud recess, a vertical shaft mounted for rotation in said bearing way,said shaft having a fork the v said stud about its vertical axis causesrotation of said ber lixcd to the other unit, said socket member haringj vshaft about its axis, but motion of the stud about any other axisproduces no rotation of the shaft, whereby the rotary movement impartedto said shaft by said stud is an accurate measure of theprecise angiebetween said ball and socket members onlyin a horizontal plane, andmeans for indicatingsuch angle.

6. Apparatus as defined by claim 5, in which said izicli` catia-g meanscomprises a potentiometer mounted ou said l cap,movemcnt transmittingmeans mechanically connecting said shaft to said potentiometer, and avoltmeter elecj Y ball-aud-socket type coupling tor connecting twobodies, including means for measurmg the angle therebetween in only oneof three possible v 'tch attached to said conveyor section, aball'member mounted said hitch, a rear hitch attached to said machine, a

socket member attached to said rear hitch, said socket and ball membersprovidinga ball-and-socket type joint,

' `bers lying in said selected said ball member having a recess, ahorizontal pin mounted on said ball member in said recess, thelongitudinal axis ofsaid pin coinciding with a diameter of said ball, acap mounted on said rearhitcb, said' cap having a vertical bearing wayin line with said recess,

a vertical shaft mounted for: rotation in said bearing y way, said shafthaving a fork engaging said pin, so that any rotation of said ballmember about a vertical axis t causessaid pin to rotate said shaft, butmotion of the ball member about any other axis produces no rotation ofthe shaft, whereby the rotary movi-ment imparted to said shaft by saidball member through said pin is an accurate measure of the precise anglebetween said ball and socket' members only in a horizontal plane, andmeans for indicating such angle. p

8. Apparatus as defined by claim 7, in which said indicating meanscomprises a potentiometer mountedjon said cap, movement transmittingmeans mechanically con# necting said shaft to said potentiometer, vand avoltmeter electrically connected to saidpotentiometer tor indicatingsuch angle at a remote control station for said bore system.`

` 9. A device compri forl connecting two bodies', including meanspermitting universal movement between such bodies within a certainrange, and means for measuring the angie between such bodies in onlyaselected one of three possible planes of v assegna plane and center ofsaid coupling, and the longitudinal axis ofv said other memberv alsopassing through such center, said `members being pivotally coupled sothat movement of said one member. in the selected plane turns said othery member about the longitudinal axis thereof while permitting freepivotal movementbctween said members in the remaining two planes, andmeans connected to the latter member that is responsive to the angulardisplacement thereof due to such turning movement, whereby said j. anglemeasuring means is responsive to angular displace- Y ment in only saidselected one of such three possible sing a ball-and-socket type couplingrotation at right angles to one another while permitting such movementin that'as well as other planes, comprising members operativelyassociated with said coupling, said members being arranged substantiallyat right angles to each other with the longitudinal axis of one of saidmem' planes of rotation, about said axis of said other member thatpasses through the center of said coupling at substautiaily right anglesto said plane.

r l0. Apparatus for bore mining by remote control which comprises amining machine having attached theretov a train of vconveyor sections,the tirst of which is coupled to the machine by a'device comprising aball-and-socket type coupling as Vciened by claim 9, by means of which tthe machine can be guided in information the course of' such selectedplane.

References Cited in the tile of this patent y UNITED STATES PATENTS706,260 Greet Britain Mar. 24, 1954 ypassing through the l

